U.S. Supreme Court declining to halt execution

ST. LOUIS (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to stop the execution of a Missouri inmate convicted in a 1998 stabbing death.

Attorneys for 52-year-old Andre Cole appealed to the nation's highest court Tuesday after a federal appeals court ruled that the execution could go forward, finding that the man was given his legal due process to argue about his mental health.

Cole's attorneys argued that their client is mentally unfit to be executed and should be allowed a competency hearing.

Cole was convicted in the killing of a man over child support payments in St. Louis County.

The execution had been scheduled for 6 p.m. but was delayed by the appeals.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon also declined to stop the execution, saying in a statement Tuesday night that he denied Cole's request for clemency.

[Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the latest information.]